Flute Repairs & Maintenance - Starter Tools

[flutego12]

The gap of the C#key from seal is about 1mm in incumbent flute. (shown here 0.3mm)
Could not get a cork sheet quickly enough, hence modified one from a wine cork... (waiting for a reaction)
But have no oil... made a dash four suburbs away to pick up a bottle of hetman medium, but then forgot the address/ st it's on/ long story short, got in as they were closing and they refused to entertain...
Looong wait till tomorrow. sigh.

In the meantime have "checked" the keys for alignment by reassembling the pieces. Did that twice as, the cork was too high, had to shave it down significantly. For a while the problem was reversed, the C key wouldn't close i/o of the C#key. All good now. JUst waiting for the oil.

[JButky]

but I am pursuing instrument repair. I wanted to go into repair as early as middle school. I started my performance degree with the intent of going to repair school afterward. Other ideas and dreams got in the way, but I'm back on track now.

I know you will enjoy it! We need more people like you in the trade!

[jim22]

The gap of the C#key from seal is about 1mm in incumbent flute. (shown here 0.3mm)
Could not get a cork sheet quickly enough, hence modified one from a wine cork... (waiting for a reaction)
But have no oil... made a dash four suburbs away to pick up a bottle of hetman medium, but then forgot the address/ st it's on/ long story short, got in as they were closing and they refused to entertain...
Looong wait till tomorrow. sigh.

In the meantime have "checked" the keys for alignment by reassembling the pieces. Did that twice as, the cork was too high, had to shave it down significantly. For a while the problem was reversed, the C key wouldn't close i/o of the C#key. All good now. JUst waiting for the oil.

Wine cork is fine. Music medic sells a small assortment of various sheets for a nominal price. It is common to dissassemble many times to get it just right. Sometimes you can get a bit of sandpaper in between to sand it in place. If you over do it, you have to start over

I use Hoppes gun oil on flutes. It seems to stay in place and not gum up. it has no strong odor either. You can even buy it in a precision oiler bottle.

Jim

[pied_piper]

I use Hoppes gun oil on flutes.
Jim

well, that should help you do a "bang-up" job when you are playing.

[flutego12]

The gap of the C#key from seal is about 1mm in incumbent flute. (shown here 0.3mm)
Could not get a cork sheet quickly enough, hence modified one from a wine cork... (waiting for a reaction)
But have no oil... made a dash four suburbs away to pick up a bottle of hetman medium, but then forgot the address/ st it's on/ long story short, got in as they were closing and they refused to entertain...
Looong wait till tomorrow. sigh.

In the meantime have "checked" the keys for alignment by reassembling the pieces. Did that twice as, the cork was too high, had to shave it down significantly. For a while the problem was reversed, the C key wouldn't close i/o of the C#key. All good now. JUst waiting for the oil.

Wine cork is fine. Music medic sells a small assortment of various sheets for a nominal price. It is common to dissassemble many times to get it just right. Sometimes you can get a bit of sandpaper in between to sand it in place. If you over do it, you have to start over

I use Hoppes gun oil on flutes. It seems to stay in place and not gum up. it has no strong odor either. You can even buy it in a precision oiler bottle.

Jim

Hello Jim
All good now. Got my oil. A kindly gentleman -the shop expert- recommended Hetman Key Oil (Medium viscosity) It's synthetic. I hope it doesn't gum or smell. Thomann sells it too at EU6.70. Another shop recommended Al Cass $10.50 but does not come with needle applicator. Our prices are always loaded with postage.

[mirwa]

Be careful what you wish for,

You have to remember very few people bring a flute in just for a service, very very very few.

Most of the time approx 95 percent its in for a repair as something has broken or been bent or has torn or has been stood on etc and also a service is given during this repair process.

To make money you have to become efficient, anyone can repair a broken flute IMO given enough time, but on a commercial basis you need to be able to put them out to a time schedule as well as efficeintly repaired to be able to make money.

[mirwa]

A busy day

Every instrument stripped cleaned polished repaired re-assembled and test played.

[Zevang]

Wow, this is beautiful to see!

[flutego12]

[fluteguy18]

I know you will enjoy it! We need more people like you in the trade!

Oh you flatter me! I certainly hope so!

[mirwa]

Wow, this is beautiful to see!

The joy is that you get to play them after repairing them.

[flutego12]

Gotta love this mutual admiration club Spread the love.

[flutego12]

Can't believe it's been nearly a year and 4 months since the start of this thread.

Am doing a belated Anniversary meander down fluteland and re-reading your posts and marvelling back at my journey this year past.

Very thankful to you contributors jim22, piedpiper (missing your posts lately, Bob), jButky, fluteguy18 and fellow southern hemispherean mirwa!

Undoubtedly, high congratulations to fluteguy18 who has simply fast-tracked and taken off bigtime in the trade and brought the rest of us along for the ride of his life at RedWing. Your focus, knack and investment is clearly paying off. This is a good case study to prove the point that - it is always most effective to go mainstream if one can rather than weave the back-lanes (like I have), I need binos to keep you in view now, Adam. but so glad for the strides you're making.

Have been a little (very) distracted in the interim and have decided today to refocus, to do a hard reassessment of where I am in this wonderful labyrinth of flute repair. That said, it has been most fulfilling 14 mths. Many skill gaps to identify for the next year to fill and hone. And looking forward to the rest of 2014 in fluteland with you guys.

My regards to everyone.